Articles

Miriam Borenstein - MMY 5766-5767

Miriam Borenstein lives in West Hempstead, NY and is a teacher at the Samuel H Wang Yeshiva University High School for Girls, colloquially known as "Central".

As Herb Brooks said, “great moments are born from great opportunities”, but great opportunities are born from patience and hard work. Following your dreams and being successful is no simple task, but if you work hard enough and push yourself, you can live your dreams.Baruch Hashem I’ve been able to work towards one of my dreams, teaching! I’ve always loved the classroom (I may have expressed that love through class clowning in my early years - but it was there in the classroom that I felt I can truly be myself, though my teachers might perhaps have said I was a bit too much of myself!).

Being a curious kid, I loved questioning and learning about anything and everything. I loved being engaged in a discussion, where I was challenged to think and learn something new. Being in class was exciting, and I loved the classroom dynamic. With that said, I must admit that I was not a good student. Applying myself and working hard were not part of my work-ethic. My skills were weak and I struggled in school, despite my love for learning. Things did not come as easy to me as they did for my friends or classmates. However, my love of learning still grew despite my struggles.

It was at a young age that I began to dream of becoming a Morah. At first it was mainly that I looked up to my teachers and wanted to be like them. And then as I got older, I also recognized my passion for learning and I wanted to share it and cultivate it. Choosing a seminary therefore was not easy for me. I had a whole smorgasbord of places I could choose from to continue feeding my love of learning and growth. Having to pick one was not going to be simple. But when I heard about MMY, I realized that actually sitting in the Bet Midrash and trying to figure out a piece of Torah on my own were skills I knew I lacked. I knew I needed to work on this if I wanted to pursue my dream of teaching. Choosing MMY was one of the best decisions I could have made, although it was not as easy I had expected.

Sitting in the Bet Midrash with my weak skills really required me to push myself and work harder than the girls sitting next to me. The time in the Bet Midrash taught me the importance of patience and toiling. עמלות בתורה was something I strived for, I davened words “ותן חלקינו בתורתך” with כוונה, with hope that I would understand what I was learning. I would literally get nauseous flipping through my dictionary just to understand the words of a פירוש. The teachers and Rebbeim in MMY were patient with me and were my role-models. They embodied hard work and dedication to the Torah they taught. My friends in MMY were inspiring as they sat with me as חברותות and although often stronger than I was, taught me, and allowed me to achieve what I set out to accomplish. I felt that in the MMY family I not only learned and gained a tremendous amount, but I was being supported and challenged throughout the whole process as well.

I returned for another half of year of learning in MMY (Shana Bet) and dedicated myself to sharpening my skills and working hard to better my learning. I gained not only skills but also wisdom during my second year, as well as strengthening my relationship with teachers and friends.

After MMY I went on to Stern College for Women were I continued studying Judaic studies and working on my learning throughout those years. I even returned to MMY one summer for their Summer Program, to further my knowledge and skill level. My love of learning and Israel grew that summer, as we dedicated ourselves to touring the land and learning. Throughout the years I have had the privilege of visiting Israel often and have often come back to sit in the Bet Midrash and classes of my beloved teachers and Rebbeim.

4 years ago I fulfilled my dream of becoming a Judaic studies teacher in no other place then my alma mater. I am currently teaching and running programs for Central High School (YUHSG) and finishing a Masters in Jewish Education in Azrieli. I am blessed to love my job and even more blessed to have actualized my dream of teaching. Although the struggle of improving never ceases, my work and learning in MMY have become the foundation of my learning and teaching. I am forever grateful.

My תלמידות are most beloved to me and I have tremendous נחת when I hear that some of them choose to learn in MMY for their year in Israel. I feel we are able to share something very special - our מקום תורה. I hope and pray that I will continue to maintain my kesher with MMY for many years to come, learning and working harder and harder to become even stronger in my learning.